HPR All Things Considered host Dave Lawrence honors blues legend John Mayall with an interview feature including highlights from five conversations, going back 21 years.
The Bluesbreakers founder died last week at home in California. He was 90.
His career as a bandleader brought him a reputation for having huge legends as bandmates, some who would go on to be superstars, like Eric Clapton, or three members of what would be Fleetwood Mac (Mick Fleetwood, Peter Green and John McVie), Jack Bruce of Cream, one time Rolling Stone Mick Taylor, and Andy Fraser of Free.
In this remembrance, we get to hear stories about fun jam sessions during a visit to Hawaiʻi, how John served in Korea during the Korean War, some of his jazz/bandleader influences, getting Eric Clapton in the band, reassuring John McVie's parents the very young John McVie would be well cared for, his experiences working for promoter legend Bill Graham, and perhaps most meaningful, John Mayall talked about times backing and sharing the bill with some of his own musical heroes.
MORE JOHN:
John is featured in two chats from 2003 (phoner and backstage), one from 2010, and two more in 2016: a phoner and a video of the last 2016 interview:
Here are some cool concert posters from Steve the Mystery Emailer, who also provides incredible background info for us that we're so grateful for:
John's first appearance as opener for Blood, Sweat & Tears in 1969:
John with Cheech and Chong in 1972:
John in April 1973:
